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Marc Bertrand: Jeremy Swayman is wearing down a little bit

On Wednesday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, Marc “Beetle” Bertrand breaks down some of his concerns about Jeremy Swayman starting to wear down a little bit. I’m not saying start…

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - MAY 08: Jeremy Swayman #1 of the Boston Bruins warms up prior to Game Two of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on May 08, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

SUNRISE, FLORIDA – MAY 08: Jeremy Swayman #1 of the Boston Bruins warms up prior to Game Two of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on May 08, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

On Wednesday's edition of Zolak & Bertrand, Marc "Beetle" Bertrand breaks down some of his concerns about Jeremy Swayman starting to wear down a little bit.

I'm not saying start Linus Ullmark...

Marc Bertrand: I feel like (Jeremy) Swayman is having a tough time right now.

Scott Zolak: Well, think about it. You're facing elimination. It's the added pressure of that and just the added pressure of, you know, your team's best player and all their hopes hang on him.

Marc Bertrand: I think he's wearing down a little bit. Does he look tired? Maybe a little bit. A little tired,?

Scott Zolak: Ride him here. Ride that horse. Just give him some water.

Marc Bertrand: I mean, he's handling it. He made a bunch of saves last night, right?

T-Bone: He made the biggest play of the game!

Marc Bertrand: I'm not saying he's incapable. I'm just I don't think it's coming as easy to him right now as it was at earlier points. He's just wearing down a little bit. He's still the guy. I'm not telling you to go back to (Linus) Ullmark or anything like that.

Scott Zolak: Kind of had that tone a little bit.

Marc Bertrand: I'm just saying that I think you're seeing that he's adjusting to having to play every night. It's an adjustment. Now, if this is what an adjustment looks like for Jeremy Swayman, then he's fine being your every night goalie. So Swayman's performance last night was good enough to get the job done. And if they are to win this series, they're going to need more of it. They are. On the Bruins coming back home for a Game 6. They have found ways to be eliminated many times at home. In their last 13 postseasons, the Bruins have been eliminated at home nine times. This thing will be over by the end of the first.

Listen to the full segment!

Bruins stay alive with 2-1 win over Panthers in Game 5

The Boston Bruins are still alive.

Facing elimination entering a do-or-die Game 5, the Bruins started strong and got an outstanding clutch performance from goaltender Jeremy Swayman to beat the Florida Panthers 2-1 on Tuesday night, forcing a Game 6 in Boston. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy scored the eventual game-winning goal in the second period, while Swayman stopped 28-of-29 Panthers shots (.966) in the win.

The Bruins grabbed six of the first seven shots on goal to begin the game, as they generated an active forecheck and sustained offensive zone time to start this must-win contest. And they cashed in, as Morgan Geekie took a centering pass from Jake DeBrusk in front of Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and patiently deked around him for an easy backhand into the net and a 1-0 lead.

Boston out-shot Florida 13-4 in the opening period, a welcome departure from the norm for them throughout the series and a product of their consistent offensive attack.

In the middle of the second period, the Panthers found a way to answer, after getting a stern talking-to from head coach Paul Maurice. Winger Sam Reinhart got just enough on the puck from the slot to beat Swayman over his glove hand and tie the game 1-1 with the rebound goal.

The tie at that point was relatively short-lived, as the Bruins would regain the lead just over four minutes later. Demonstrating sound puck movement from end to end, the B's finished off a rush with McAvoy ripping it past Bobrovsky from the slot to make it 2-1 Bruins.

Florida challenged for goaltender interference on the play, but just like Sam Bennett's controversial goal in Game 4, the score stood.

Despite maintaining their one-goal lead through 40 minutes, the Bruins were out-shot 15-9 in the second period, as the Panthers got their formidable forecheck going and the B's started to struggle with their puck management in their own end.

The Bruins managed to hold that 2-1 lead throughout the third period, despite getting out-shot again, this time by a 10-6 margin. The Panthers threatened late, with their goalie pulled, but Swayman came up huge to make a clutch save on Reinhart with just nine seconds left in regulation. The B's cleared it, and the clock ran out to give them the season-saving win.

The teams will now get two days between games to regroup. Game 6 between the Bruins and Panthers takes place Friday night at TD Garden. The start time is yet to be announced.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

Tyler Milliken started out at the Sports Hub as an intern in 2020 for the Zolak & Bertrand program before eventually becoming the associate producer in late 2021. He often joins the baseball conversation on Zolak & Bertrand and is a contributor to The Baseball Hour throughout the season. Along with that, he has been a co-host on DraftKings Name Redacted Podcast with Jared Carrabis for the last two years, where they cover everything going on with the Red Sox. Born and raised in Brockton, he reps the city proudly.

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